


burning

by paladincoolcats



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Blood, Fluff, Hostage Situations, I really wanted to give everyone at least a little dialogue, I'll tag more eventually, M/M, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rimming, Smut, Violence, because I love everyone, she/her pidge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-17 12:56:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8144863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paladincoolcats/pseuds/paladincoolcats
Summary: Keith and Shiro are taken hostage while investigating a Galra ship. Shiro is forced to listen as Keith is tortured.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I ship a multitude of things - Klance, Shieth, Shlance... Shlieth?? What even is the ship name for Keith x Lance x Shiro?? 
> 
> Regardless, the idea of the oneshot stemmed from [this](http://keith-and-shiro-were-dating.tumblr.com/post/150680454431/themightynyunyi-what-if-shiro-is-forced-to). And this is a Shieth only, no other pairings, so fear not! :D

The Galra ship was supposed to be abandoned. It was supposed to be a rather simple mission; board the ship, make sure no prisoners were left on board, and then destroy said ship.

Pidge had gotten them in, Hunk and Lance watched her back, and Allura and Coran remained aboard the castle ship, particle barrier activated but hangers open for the paladins to reboard. Shiro and Keith were the ones who volunteered to board the Galra ship. Or rather, Shiro had volunteered, and Keith refused to let him go alone. 

With their lions pulled to safety, Shiro had navigated Keith and himself to a lower level of the ship and into a long hallway full of empty cells. 

Shiro flipped on the comm of his helmet, “Unless there's another floor of prison cells, the ship truly does seem empty.” 

Keith was feeling his way along the cells one by one, calling out loudly to see if there were cries for help inside. As he stepped over chains and broken bits of what looked like armor, he flipped his own helmet comm on, “We’ll still give it a thorough walkthrough. Just to be sure. We can't open the cell doors without Galran energy, and it could be some sort of trap to have Shiro try to open them.” 

“Having fun there in the brig?” Lance joked as his voice crackled over the main comm as well. “Maybe we should have separated the lovebirds, who knows what they could get up to there. Alone. In the dark.” 

“Thank you for your input, Lance,” Allura spoke dryly, finally joining in on the comm. “Just be careful, Paladins. The purpose of keeping you in groups was to ensure you could keep an eye on each other’s backs.” 

Keith had actually been the one to suggest groups in the first place, grabbing Shiro’s arm the second he’d told the group that he’d board the ship, “Either I’m coming with you or you're not going at all. That's way too risky, Shiro.” 

Of course, Shiro had immediately disagreed with the idea, saying, "It's much more logical for only one of us to. If something goes awry we can't risk losing multiple members, even without one of us we can't form Voltron." 

It had taken Keith telling Allura that  _ he  _ would board the ship alone to make Shiro cave, because Shiro was a pro at holding double standards. The idea of Shiro alone on the ship seemed logical to Shiro, but the idea of Keith boarding alone freaked Shiro out. Keith made sure to crawl atop him later and pin him down until he admitted he was a contradictory bastard. 

_ "I have proof, Shiro, you can't get out of this one. It's logical for you to go alone but it's not logical for me to go alone?"  _

_ "I'll admit it, but you can't make me guilty for wanting to keep you safe."  _

_ "You're still an asshole."  _

_ "I'll accept the title."  _

And Keith really couldn't remember much after that, as Shiro's kneading fingers had found their way into his hair and Shiro's chest was warm, his heartbeat soothing, and he was pressing little kisses to Keith's temple.

“Of course, Princess,” Shiro agreed, drawing Keith out of his thoughts. Keith was more than capable of defending himself, as was Shiro, but both were far too protective of the other to let one stray too far out of sight. 

“Just let us know when you-” Pidge began, but she was drowned out as the bulkhead door Keith was next to opened up and at least thirty Galran soldiers swarmed the hall.

Immediately several things were running through Shiro’s mind. The first was Keith. Keith was out of reach, Keith was slicing off a Galra’s arm, Keith’s bayard was being ripped from his hands as he was roughly shoved to the floor. He had to get to Keith.

“Get out of here, Shiro!”

Shiro’s second thought was to warn the others, and he shouted over the comm, “get the lions out of the ship’s radius, it's not abandoned,” before was he yanking away from Galra as they reached him, bashing his way through them as he fought to reach the boy being held down on the floor.

The red paladin had his hands behind his back, but his helmet was still on his head and he could hear Allura yelling in his ear, “Remain calm! We  _ will  _ retrieve you!”

Shiro felt his own helmet being ripped off, and his ashen eyes locked with fearful blue ones, “Shiro, look out-” 

Something solid connected with the back of his skull, and the last thing he could focus on was Keith’s panicked yells before a foot connected with his temple, and he was tumbling into unconsciousness.

x

His head throbbed as he came to, his neck lolling limply forward. It was an all too familiar feeling. The cold and stiff air of the Galra ship. A metal chair under him screwed into the ground, his torso chained back tightly and his arms chained to the arms of the chair. He still had nightmares about this. About the torture. Surely it was all a nightmare. But  _ Keith.  _

Shiro’s eyes snapped open, searching frantically about the tiny room. He was alone. It momentarily made him relax. Perhaps it  _ was  _ a dream. Keith was safe, the other paladins were safe, Allura and Coran-

The bulkhead door to his cell was suddenly lifting, and two Galra soldiers entered, “The Champion, what a great capture we’ve managed. Sendak will be most pleased.”

Shiro’s lips remained tightly pressed together. He wouldn't allow them to warrant a reaction from him, nor would he speak of Voltron, of his  _ team.  _ Still, his heart was thudding uneasily. He could very clearly remember being swarmed in the hallway with Keith… it all was seeming far too vivid to be a nightmare but it simply  _ had  _ to be. He'd wake up in a cold sweat, but in _their_ bed, Keith's thumbs stroking over his cheekbones and Keith's lips brushing his eyelids as Keith hushed Shiro gently, reminded him that they were safe.

“Come on now,  _ Champion,”  _ the second purple bastard sneered. It's clawed hand seized Shiro’s face, and Shiro’s fists tightened. It was pointless, his arms were bound tight. “Would you like to call your friends here? Or will we have to torture it out of you?”

“Beat me all you want,” Shiro spoke finally, clenching his eyes shut as pain exploded behind them. His head fucking  _ hurt.  _ But then he slipped back into silence. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction. 

The two purple assholes spoke to each other in galran, but the one gripping Shiro released him with a sharp chuckle, “Ah, but Champion, it's not  _ you  _ that we’ll be beating.”

From down the hall, as if on cue, a scream of agony shattered the quiet and froze Shiro’s blood, stopped the very beating of his heart.  _ Keith.  _ It wasn't a fucking dream. 

x 

Keith thrashed against the chains that kept him against the steel wall and tried to spit out the strange fabric that had been wrapped around his mouth. The soldier in the corner wouldn't even  _ look  _ at him, wasn't close enough for Keith to grab at. 

_ Shiro was hurt, he’d watched them drag Shiro away, he’d screamed Shiro’s name over and over and- _

“Stop thrashing, you runt,” the Galra soldier finally snapped. 

However, a purple hand pulled the bind away from Keith’s mouth, and Keith spat out, “Where is he-  _ Shiro!” _

“His useless ears won't hear you with the cell door closed, but I hear you loud and clear.  Keep. Quiet.”

“Fucking tell me where he is!” Keith demanded. 

“He's useless to us, his location is irrelevant. But you. You're going to bring the Paladins aboard.”

Keith snarled, “Like hell I am!” 

“There's a reason we harmed him and not you,” the creature gave a dark laugh. “It's all part of Sendak’s plan.” 

Keith paled. They'd knocked Shiro unconscious, that much he knew, but there was a deep ache that nagged at Keith, a nag that kept telling him Shiro could be far worse than injured, “You… what did you  _ do  _ to him, what did you do-”

“Irrelevant,” the Galra repeated. 

Keith tried to yank his wrists free of the chains, “Shiro!  _ Shiro!” _

“He's alive!” the creature lunged at Keith, a hand curling around Keith’s throat to cut off his voice. Keith grabbed at the Galra's hands to attempt to pry them off. “Stop screaming and save your voice for bringing your worthless team here.”

However, Keith had already felt his limbs weaken in relief. The panicked adrenaline he’d had since the beginning of the attack was gone, leaving him exhausted and sore from tugging at his restraints. The Galra released him, and he slumped to his knees, although the shackles around his ankles dug into his flesh at his position. 

He'd been in the goddamn cell for hours, his helmet and bayard in the same room but far out of reach. Despite his circumstances, Keith couldn't care less about his own well being. Rather, his main concern was Shiro. Shiro hadn't bolted when he had the chance. Keith had told him to run, and Shiro had tried to get to Keith. Keith wanted to throttle him. Keith wanted to kiss him.  _ Keith wanted to be held by him.  _

_ I've lost him once before and I'm not letting it happen again.  _

The bulkhead door of his cell lifted, and horror filled the pit of his stomach. It wasn't just any Galra entering the cell. The Galra entering his cell was hulking, having to duck to fit into the room, and where claws and fur should have completed an arm, a robotic limb was in its place. A yellow eye and a red cybernetic eye illuminated the darkness of the cell, showing the smirk the purple beast wore. 

“Beginning the plan already, Sendak?” the smaller Galra asked nervously. 

“Quiet,” Sendak hissed. 

Keith struggled to his feet, refusing to be on his knees before the monster before him. Almost abruptly Sendak’s robotic arm glowed as he shoved Keith back to the hard floor of the ship. 

“Whatever your plan is, it's not going to work,” Keith spat. 

“Grab his helmet,” Sendak ordered the other Galra. “And open the door to his cell. Might as well let  _ all  _ of his ‘team’ hear what he has to say. Has he been talkative?” 

Keith’s lips pressed together immediately, but the small Galra nodded, “He’s been yelling for the other captured Paladin.” 

The small Galra lifted the bulkhead door and brought the helmet closer, examining it for a few moments before he flipped on the comm. Keith pleaded silently that no one would be on despite the blinking light that signaled  _ someone  _ was on the com . There was static, but otherwise the comm was quiet. 

“Is it on the correct frequency? Can all Paladins hear him?” 

“Yes sir.” 

And then Keith’s forearm was snapped. Sendak moved so quickly and violently that Keith couldn't stop the scream of agony that erupted from his lips as hands split his bone in half like a twig. Almost instantly panicked voices sounded over the comm.

“Keith?!”

“Keith are you there?”

“ _ Keith!” _

From down the corridor, a bellow of pure rage echoed through the halls. Keith hadn't the slightest idea of what or  _who_ had emitted the noise.

Keith was panting, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead as he resisted the urge to writhe. He hissed in pain as he pulled his broken arm towards his chest, cradling the snapped limb. It was positively gruesome, half of it limply hanging at an impossible angle. He wanted to tell his team he was fine, but he didn't want them to come after him. It was too dangerous. 

“ _ Keith!”  _ a familiar  voice boomed from down the hall. But rather than yelling to Keith, it was yelling  _ for  _ Keith, screaming at someone else. Keith _loved_ that voice, that voice belonged to  _Shiro._

Despite the excruciating pain in his arm, Keith felt  _ relieved, _ could only think along the lines of,  _ “Shiro is okay, Shiro, Shiro-” _

“Don't you dare hurt him! Don't you dare put  _ your hands on him _ -” Shiro had never sounded so livid. His voice was booming from the comm, but was also echoing all through the lower prison hall. Something told Keith that the man wasn't simply next door, either.

Sendak was still smirking, “Why don't you beg them to come rescue you Keith?” 

There were shouts of fury from over the comm, but only Allura’s voice spoke harshly, “Sendak.” 

“ _ No!” _ Shiro was shouting more. Which meant Shiro could hear from the comm every word Sendak spoke. “Come to  _ me  _ you coward! Come get me!” 

“Beg for them Keith,” Sendak sneered. 

Keith simply spit at the large Galra, effectively earning a large fist to his face. Blood poured from his nose, dripped from a split lip. Keith could feel blood draining down the back of his throat as well, but he pressed his lips together stubbornly. 

“ _ Beg.”  _

_ “I'll kill you!”  _ Shiro roared. Keith had never heard Shiro so angry, his boyfriend was generally level headed and kept his voice and emotions calm. 

Keith tried to wipe his bloody face onto his shoulder, but Sendak seized his hair and hoisted him into the air. Claws sank into his ribs, and Keith bit back another scream. He bit his lip so hard his teeth broke the skin further than his split lip, and he gave a quiet sob as the claws twisted into his flesh and forced the air right out of his lungs. There was a sickening wet sound that was nearly masked by Keith's responding scream as Sendak yanked his claws back out. Sendak let him drop limply back to the ground, and the chains tugged harshly at his joints. His side was sticky and wet with blood, his front quickly becoming so with the blood from his nose and lip. The air being sucked in made a rasping, gurgling sound, and his lungs screamed with each breath.

His teammates could be heard over the comm, promising to come to him, promising they'd come for them  _ both.  _

“Say their names,” Sendak ordered. “Plead for them or we’ll kill the other captured paladin.” 

Keith’s head snapped up in horror, his voice ragged, “Don't _touch_ him.” 

“Then  _ beg. Beg  _ them to help you. _ ”  _

_ “Please!”  _ Keith caved, gasping out. He didn't want the others to listen, but he didn't want Shiro hurt. “Please, please-” 

Sendak pressed a claw into the soft, exposed skin between Keith’s clavicle and shoulder. Keith writhed, trying to get away, “Do you want your black paladin to die?” 

He couldn't have stopped it if he tried. His body was screaming in agony, his mind was screaming for  _ Shiro,  _ “Please! Please help me- Shiro!”

The roar from down the hall nearly rattled the chains that held Keith, and this time, it didn't stop as Sendak continued to slash at the red paladin. 

x

It was agony. He wasn't being touched, but it was  _ agony.  _ All forms of torture Shiro had endured in the past was minimal. This,  _ this,  _ it ripped at him, Keith’s screams of pain tore at his very being. 

The chains binding him rattled as he thrashed, bellowing out indecipherable threats. Over the comm from his helmet that one of the Galra held out to him, the goddamn comm that made Keith’s shrieks so much louder, he could hear his teammates trying to speak to him as well. 

_ “Shiro, we’re coming to get you both, Shiro, it's going to be okay.” _

Did Keith’s screams not  _ burn _ ? Did it not feel like a white hot iron was being shoved down their throats and into their chests? 

Keith was pleading for him, sobbing Shiro’s name and crying out in torment, and Shiro was losing his goddamn mind. The pain in his head had been forgotten, his white forelock sticking to the sheen of sweat on his forehead as he strained against the chains. 

“ _ I'm sorry, please help me… Shiro… I love you, Shiro, I'm sorry _ ,” Keith’s voice sobbed over the comm. 

Shiro gave a final desperate lunge and howled out Keith’s name, the bolts of his chair ripping loose from the ground as his arm glowed purple. He smashed his body into the Galran soldier blocking the exit, but three more Galra from the hall were on him in an instant. They tipped him onto his side and pinned the chair he remained chained to down as he did his best break away from their grasp. Still, he thrashed and arched and yanked. Keith's screams had silenced momentarily, and if he could only get his  _legs_ free-

“Stop!” Sendak’s voice boomed. The Galra stopped, and Shiro lifted his head to peer down the hall. And what was left of his crumbling heart shattered. 

Keith was free, the only thing restraining him was Sendak’s grip around the collar of his Paladin suit, but Keith was limp. He was suspended mid air only a few feet down the hall from Shiro with his head hanging forward, his eyes swollen shut, and was so bloody he was nearly unrecognizable. His black hair, the hair Shiro knew was baby soft, was soaked, matted, and in a disarray. Shiro's chest felt like it was being torn open. Keith looked...  _lifeless._

“No…” Shiro croaked. “No, he isn't…”

“Not yet,” Sendak chuckled, but Shiro wasn't allowed relief. “I figured I'd let you watch.”

Shiro began to thrash again, “No! Not him, _fuck_ , please! Me, kill me instead. I’ll let you! Just not him, please, please, don't kill him!” 

Sendak lifted a glowing purple blade up to the limp boy’s throat, and Shiro wouldn't have been able to stop the tears if he tried. He was supposed to  _ protect  _ Keith, not just as Keith’s teammate, but as his  _ soulmate.  _

“Ideally I could kill you both, the other paladins are already on their way,” Sendak chuckled. “But I'd rather just kill this one and let you live with the guilt. Did you not hear him begging you to help?”

“ _Stop!_ Let him go,” Shiro gave a hoarse sob. “Kill me instead. _ Please. _ ” 

The other Galra hoisted the metal chair up so Shiro was no longer on his side, and Sendak nestled the blade against Keith’s already bloody neck, “If only his eyes were open so you could watch the life fade out of them.” 

Shiro was far too afraid for Keith’s life, he didn't dare fight back. One wrong move and… Shiro’s throat closed up at the thought.  _ Not Keith.  _ The boy who had befriend Shiro at the Garrison. The boy who would break Shiro, a student teacher, out in the middle of the night to watch stars from the roof and talk about flying among them together. The same boy who had hugged Shiro tighter than anyone else the day he left for the Kerberos mission. 

They’d only just been reunited. Keith couldn't be taken from him. 

Sendak raised the blade just as Shiro could no longer take seeing Keith’s limp form any longer. 

“ _ No!”  _ Shiro’s Galra arm flashed purple and snapped chains at the same time a beam of light fired, hitting Sendak in the face. Keith slumped face down on to the floor as Sendak collapsed unconscious on the ground behind him. “Keith! Keith?!” 

 

“Hold on, buddy!” Hunk's voice yelled. The voice almost sounded as if it were in the room rather than over the comm. Another bright flash. Hunk's bayard? Shiro noticed vaguely that the Galra had all left his side, but he used it as an opportunity to rip free from the stupid chair in desperation. With the Galran arm he had used to break free he was snapping chains in his fist and yanking them from his body as tears poured down his cheeks. There was some sort of commotion behind him, but Shiro was far too focused on shoving the chains off of himself. The moment he was free he was stumbling forward and collapsing to the floor next to Keith.

His shaking hands pulled the unconscious boy into his arms, fingers feeling frantically at Keith’s neck for a pulse. The rapid irregular thump beneath Shiro’s fingers only had him sobbing harder. There was a pulse. Keith was most likely in shock, and he was severely injured, but he had a _pulse._  There wasn't time to sit around and cry, however, and Shiro struggled to his feet. He didn't want to risk hurting Keith further, and his adrenaline was making him clumsy, but he was left with little choice. Keith's head was tucked carefully into the crook of his real arm so Shiro could feel the warmth, Keith's arms limp over his bloodied chest, and Keith's legs cradled by Shiro's robotic arm.

A hand touched his shoulder, and Shiro yanked Keith away defensively, prepared to fight, but Lance ducked into his view, his blue eyes wide and fearful as they fell onto Keith, “It’s just me, Shiro. We need to get you guys to the skiffs. Hunk’s holding off the other Galra and Pidge has the hangers of the ship open. Do you need help carrying him? He's... he's not...”

Shiro gave a curt shake of his head, adjusting the cradling hold he had on Keith, and then he was striding from the room with Lance close behind. 

x

They'd left Sendak aboard the ship, Pidge planting a self-destructing bot she had created on the side. There were only two skiffs, but Lance and Hunk shared one whilst Pidge drove Shiro and Keith on the other. Shiro  _ hated  _ putting Keith’s helmet back on. He couldn't make sure Keith was still breathing correctly with it, but Pidge drove wildly and they reached the castle ship in no time.

Allura already had the particle barrier lifted and a healing pod prepared for  _ both  _ Keith and Shiro. Shiro sprinted Keith the entire way there, refusing to let anyone else take the boy from his arms. Only when Keith was sealed in the pod, his swollen and bloodied face seeming so lifeless and pale against the blue cryochamber, did Shiro collapse to the floor against the glass and allow himself to fully break down in body-wracking sobs.  _He'd almost lost Keith._

x

Shiro refused his own chamber, opting to eventually sit against Keith’s instead. Hunk, Lance, and Pidge watched helplessly as their leader, their normally calm and collected leader, remained catatonic for the entire week Keith healed. He never left Keith's side.

They sat with him each meal, attempting to coax him to eat. He’d only eat a few bites to quiet them. He wouldn't sleep. _Couldn't sleep._ His nightmares had returned with full force, and Keith wasn't there to calm him back down. Instead, Keith  _was_ Shiro's nightmares. Keith lifeless in his arms, or the damned purple galra blade actually being used on Keith. Shiro couldn't take it.

Finally, on the eighth day of Keith being in the chamber, Allura decided Keith was well enough to be released. Shiro stood in front of the pod that day instead of curling against it like he'd done the past week. For the most part, the boy seemed healed. Shiro only hoped Allura’s calculations were accurate, that Keith was going to emerge entirely healed and healthy.

She opened the pod, the Paladins watching with bated breath. Shiro leaned to catch Keith, but rather than stumbling out or falling like most normal people did after waking in the chamber, Keith was barreling forward the second his feet were on the ship floor, his eyes wild, “Shir-”

Shiro was already right there waiting, grabbing Keith up into his arms and wheezing into the younger boy’s hair, “Keith, Keith, oh Keith…”

Keith clung to Shiro, his gaze darting about frantically, “Where are we, are you safe?! Is everyone safe?  _ Sendak!” _

Allura was the one to speak, as Shiro was suddenly sobbing against the crown of the shorter boy's head, and the other Paladins were at a loss for words, “Everyone is safe. We successfully retrieved you, thankfully.”

“Retrieved me?” Keith asked in bewilderment. “Oh my god, Sendak, he was- he-”

It took several moments, but Shiro pulled back just enough to meet Keith’s anxious gaze. His voice was hardly audible through his tears, “We blew up that ship. He's not ever going to harm you again. I've got you. You're safe. He can't hurt you. I've got you.”

Shiro was rambling out comforts, nuzzling his nose against Keith's face even though a week in a healing pod didn't leave a person smelling the best. There was still dried blood in Keith's hair and on his clothes.

“Or you,” Keith choked out, his hand uncurling from Shiro’s shirt to cup Shiro's cheek instead. “I was so scared for you, they told me they were going to kill you if I didn't beg to be saved. I'm so sorry I put everyone in danger like that, I didn't mean to. I thought I was going to lose you, Shiro, I thought I was going to lose you again.”

Keith couldn't get his heart to stop racing erratically, but Shiro was warm and solid and  _ alive  _ beneath his hands, was dripping tears all over him. Finally, Keith began to cry as well. Shiro was safe. Everyone was safe. 

“I thought…” Shiro began shakily. “I thought they  _ had _ killed you.”

There was suddenly a loud wail as Lance charged forward, throwing his arms around them both and crying messily against Keith’s back, “Well  _ we  _ were scared for you both! We didn't know what was happening, Keith just kept screaming and Shiro was losing his mind and-” 

Pidge and Hunk hurried forward to wrap their arms around the three already embracing, and Coran gave a glance at Allura before scrambled into the hug.

"It was an awful experience, I can't even imagine what you two went through!" Coran bawled.

Shiro simply held onto Keith tighter, feeling Keith squeeze right back. 

Allura gradually joined their large hug with a sigh, but she looked fond, “Keith, do you feel properly healed? Or would you like a few hours more?” 

“I think I'm healed,” Keith murmured. "I just want... can we stay like this for a bit?" 

He was referring to Shiro holding him, but Hunk nodded, "We'll hug you as long as you want." 

Physically, they were fine. Mentally and emotionally they would take much longer to heal.

Keith took Shiro into the shower with him. He couldn't bear to part, even for a few minutes. Shiro's normally steady hands shook as they washed the dried blood from Keith's hair and skin. They remained beneath the spray simply clutching onto each other for several minutes. Curled up in their bed in Shiro's clothes, Keith stroked at the back of Shiro's head and felt the slight raised skin. 

"Is this... is this from where they hit you?" Keith asked in slight alarm. "Did the healing pod not fix it?" 

"I didn't go in a healing pod," Shiro admitted. "I was worried about you." 

Keith spluttered, pushing away slightly to glare at Shiro, "I could kick your ass." 

He kissed him instead. Deeply. Feeling each brush of Shiro's lips against his own, sweet and gentle, tasting how minty Shiro's mouth was it's fresh brushing. Keith needed it more than air.

A few hours later when Keith learned of Shiro’s lack of eating and sleeping, it was almost as if Keith was prepared to fight Shiro again. Instead Shiro curled up with Keith on his lap, spoon feeding him little bites of some goo that Hunk made them. Keith of course made him eat as well.

There would be nightmares. Keith would find that he was terrified of enclosed spaces, that seeing Shiro train even against bots would scare the _shit_ out of him.  But Shiro would hold him, would kiss him softly and keep him grounded.

Shiro would wake up screaming out Keith's name only for Keith to press himself into Shiro's arms, holding Shiro's flesh and blood hand over his chest to feel his heartbeat.

No one had been lost, even if they were burned and broken beyond what a healing pod was capable of fixing. They still had each other, and together, they would heal. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trials and recovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Half of this is smut and I'm not ashamed. This was my first ever Keith smut so all comments, praise, criticism, critiquing... just WRECK me honestly.
> 
> P.S I hc Shiro as 23, Hunk 20, Lance and Keith 19, Pidge 14 in this fic.

The frantic pounding of his heart could be heard in his ears, his bound limbs feeling like lead as he fought against his chains.

“I figured I'd let you watch,” the large Galra laughed.

 _Keith. Not Keith_.

“ _Just kill me instead, oh God, please…”_

It agonized him. Keith was bloody and bruised before him, sliced up and limp, and Sendak was pressing a large purple blade to the unconscious boy’s ribs. Shiro couldn't stop thrashing, couldn't stop screaming. More hands pinned him to the ship floor.

“ _Shiro!”_ Keith sounded terrified. Shiro stopped his thrashing. Keith hadn't moved… it made no sense that he would be- “ _Shiro?!”_  

The larger man bolted upright, everything dissolving into darkness. Two hands were still on him, but they were gentle, stroking at his jaw and his hair. Beneath him he no longer felt the cold steel, but rather a warm and pillowy mattress. His wild eyes focused on concerned blue ones, and Shiro sagged into waiting arms.

“Keith... 

Keith smelled faintly like their Altean soap that had a strange hint of baby shampoo, but sleep had masked most of it and left the man smelling like _Keith_ , the familiar earthy smell, his home so far away from their actual home, that had Shiro melting further into Keith’s embrace. It had all been a dream. Keith was safe. Keith was holding him.

“I’m sorry I couldn't wake you sooner,” Keith murmured softly. He had one hand tracing soothing circles onto Shiro’s back, gently pulling the thin white cotton shirt away from Shiro’s sweaty skin. Keith’s other hand had settled into Shiro's sweat dampened hair, holding the older man’s head over Keith’s heart. “You had me worried, you seemed more panicked than usual. Was it a new nightmare?”

“Back on the ship- Sendak- you…” Shiro panted the choppy sentence into Keith’s chest. 

“I'm here. I'm safe, you're safe, and I'm right here. I'll always be right here.”

“Thank you,” the older man breathed, shivering slightly.

Keith continued rubbing Shiro’s back, “We’ll get through this. It's only been a month. It'll get easier.”

“Sorry I woke you.”

Shiro only nuzzled his face more against Keith. The shirt the boy wore was loose; definitely one of Shiro’s.

“You knocked me out of bed,” Keith chuckled. 

The larger man pulled back in slight concern, releasing the arms wrapped around Keith’s waist in favor of cupping Keith’s face instead. Keith was only just visible in the faint blue light of the alarm system near their bulkhead door, but _God_ was he beautiful.

His longer hair was tousled, his lips quirked up for a sleepy smile, and even in the dim lighting Shiro could see the long eyelashes that blinked at him. 

“I'm sorry, baby-”

Keith’s lips against his own silenced him, and then Keith was shifting them both to lay back down. He wrapped his arms as best as he could around Shiro like he was shielding the man, holding Shiro to his chest, “Sleep, handsome man, don’t even worry about it. We’ve got to get up in a few hours for training.”

Rather than protesting, Shiro curled up a bit more to make it easier for Keith to hold him, and then he was dozing off in his alive and well boy’s arms.

x

Keith watched from the viewing room of the training deck as Lance and Shiro took on five gladiator bots. They were only on training level six, but Keith’s heart was in his throat as he paced in front of the large glass window, his eyes remained locked on the man with the white forelock.

“Just relax, Keith,” Pidge soothed. “They're doing great.”

“Shiro’s stamina is incredible, he hardly pauses to regain strength and yet the punches he throws inflict major damage each time,” Hunk karate chopped the air.

Allura, who was watching the training process almost as carefully as Keith, pursed her lips, “Yes, he's certainly been improving. Lance as well. He's less reckless and far more precise.”

Shiro was more than capable of handling the level, Keith was aware, but that didn't stop the building panic that grew larger each time Shiro dodged a blow. Shiro and Lance trained back to back, keeping an eye out for what the other couldn't see.

Even so, when a bot knocked Lance off his feet and made in for the back of Shiro’s head, Keith lunged for the intercom button, despite his friends’ protests, and slammed his fist onto it.

“End training sequence!" 

The bots deactivated, and Lance turned to face the viewing room with his arms above his head in a display of violent confusion. Shiro was simply looking towards the glass in concern, his eyes searching Keith out.

Keith himself was panting, his mind in a dark ship where an unconscious Shiro was being dragged away from him.

“Well done, paladins. Please join us in the viewing room,” Allura brushed Keith out of the way to speak into the comm mic, and it snapped Keith back to reality. However, she turned to the panicked boy. “Keith… it's been two of your earth month’s since the incident. I know very little about human trauma, but…”

The bulkhead door lifted as Lance marched in, helmet thrown to the floor as he strode up to Keith, arms flailing wildly, “What was that?! I had it under control, we were kicking robot ass!”

Shiro and Coran entered the room before Keith could answer, and Keith sheepishly looked at his feet rather than meet the perfected worried gaze of Takashi Shirogane, “You couldn't protect Shiro’s blind spot while you were down. That bot was going to hit him." 

“Qué chingados!” Lance gave Keith a light shove. “He was wearing a helmet, pinche idiota!”  

Keith shoved back, and Pidge gave a whistle of approval.

“Paladins-” Allura attempted to intervene, but Lance was using his height to glare intimidatingly at Keith, not that he'd ever hurt the boy.

“Lance!” Shiro barked. “Lay off, he thought I was in danger and he reacted in what seemed rational to him at the time." 

Shiro slipped between the two, running his hand soothingly over Keith’s shoulders. With Shiro standing perfectly fine in front of him, Keith felt rather ridiculous to have ended the training sequence when Lance and Shiro _had_ been doing fantastic in their spar. The bot more than likely wouldn't have harmed Shiro outside of shaking him up or giving him a slight bruising.

“Sorry,” Keith mumbled, willingly leaning into Shiro’s broad chest. The older man smelled of sweat and adrenaline, but his heart was still slightly elevated and the feeling of it against Keith’s cheek was soothing. “I know you were wearing your helmet. I just… all I could see was the time you weren't, when- when it was _me_ who wasn't watching out for you and you-”

Keith’s words began jumbling, and he could feel the other’s concerned eyes on him, but Shiro hugged him tightly, “That wasn’t your fault, Keith. Besides, something like that won't ever happen again. I won't let it. _You_ won't let it. I trust you with my life.”

“What can we do to help you, Keith?” Coran’s hand came to rest on Keith’s shoulder as the hugging pair pulled apart. “You could always help me around the castle while the other’s train, just until you believe you're well enough to watch again.”

“Thanks Coran, but I think the only thing that’ll help in this case is to keep watching,” Keith admitted. “If I don't watch I can't teach myself to ignore the shit that's going on in my brain." 

“Just tell us if it gets to be too much,” Shiro requested. If anyone could understand how harsh a person’s mind and imagination could get after going through something rather traumatizing, it’d be Shiro. Not only had the man been there with Keith, but he himself had experienced a whole other world of trauma that Keith hadn't been there for. The very thought made Keith’s throat burn, and he hugged Shiro again, hugged him tighter. 

“Keith, what if we tie you down so you can't end the training sequence every single time Shiro’s the person training?” Pidge suggested. “We can just tie you in a chair.”

Hunk covered his mouth to hide a laugh, and Lance out right cackled out, “How kinky!”

“Probably not the best solution either,” Shiro disapproved.

Keith flipped the other three paladins off behind Shiro’s back, but he didn't take their threat to heart and he gave them a small smile to accompany his crude gesture. At first they’d all been wildly supportive when Keith would panic over Shiro sparring. Lance had actually offered to hold Keith’s hand to calm him at one point, which had been effective in the sense that it startled Keith right out of his panicking.

However, Keith had pleaded with them to just act like things were back to normal, and it was clear that they were all trying their hardest. He truly appreciated it.

“Really though, Keith,” Hunk insisted. “We’re here for you, we’ll help you get through this. The same goes for you, Shiro.”

“Besides,” Lance agreed. “I’d never let Shiro get _hurt_ hurt. We’re a team, it's kind of my job to help him.”

Shiro kissed the top of Keith’s head, and Allura smiled at all of them, “This is truthfully my favorite kind of team building.”

“Now,” Pidge announced, standing to her feet. “It's my turn to spar with Keith.”

Keith looked to Shiro one last time, and the man kissed Keith’s nose before accepting Keith’s helmet from Pidge and sliding it onto Keith’s head, “Kick robot butt, baby.”

Shiro looked so incredibly fond that it made Keith’s chest ache. He simply nodded, and then he was following Pidge from the room and down to the training deck.

x

For awhile, aside from nightmares, Shiro’s own aftereffects of the galra ordeal seemed nonexistent. This, however, wasn't true. While Keith struggled from watching Shiro battle, even in training, Shiro couldn't stand to have Keith out of his sight during a battle. 

Which, of course, proved to be a difficult thing. He couldn't constantly watch Keith when they would respond to a distress beacon and find themselves under enemy fire. It wasn't fair to Keith, nor was it fair to the other paladins, and it was far too dangerous for Shiro to let himself be distracted in that manner.

Even so, during a particular mission on a foreign planet, a hit from a small and easily conquerable Galra cruiser, one that Keith intercepted before the green lion could be struck, sent Red propelling in for a hard crash landing on the strange planet. Shiro lost sight of Keith the moment the red lion entered the atmosphere, and it had him yanking the controls away from the battle and rearing up his thrusters to propel for the planet.

“Keith!” Shiro shouted over the comm, his voice tight with panic. “Keith, are you alright?!" 

“Shiro we still need you!” Hunk replied frantically. 

“I've got him,” Lance offered, already headed for the planet. “Besides, Shiro, Keith is the one person who makes you lose your cool and I feel like you won't be able to land decently right now.” 

Shiro was torn, but he pulled back, “Keith I’m- I’m coming, Keith, I'll be there soon.”

With shaking hands, Shiro helped Hunk and Pidge blow the cruiser into shrapnel, shouting into the comm for updates that weren't coming. As soon as the team was safe he was immediately veering away and propelling the black lion down into the atmosphere of the planet.

Black was clearly trying to soothe him, humming low in Shiro’s mind as they landed near the crashed red lion and the landed blue lion, and she opened her mouth as Shiro raced from the cockpit, Allura’s confused voice in his ear heeding out warnings to be cautious of the life that the planet hosted.

As he jumped down onto the blue dirt his eyes had already found Keith and Lance sitting near their lions, Keith’s head between his knees and his helmet on the ground near him.

Shiro closed the distance between them as if his own life depended upon it, dropping to his knees and reaching for Keith’s face, his hands trembling and his voice breaking, “Are you alright, are you hurt?”

“Just a little motion sick,” Lance warned. “He almost puked on me earlier so watch out. But he's okay Shiro… you’re shaking more than Keith, man.”

“I'm fine,” Keith offered a weak smile. “Definitely feel like I was put through a blender, but I'm alright. Red will need to be lifted out. Her thrusters were shut down with the hit- _oomph.”_

Shiro pulled Keith to his chest, breathing hard, “I was terrified, I didn't- I didn't know what had happened, I couldn't see you or hear you.”

“Yeah, I should have come over the comm and let you know he was okay, but I didn't want to run the risk of distracting you,” Lance explained. “His own comm button is jammed because he headbutted his control panel while being thrown around.”

Shiro clutched onto Keith tighter, feeling Keith’s smaller hand seek out his flesh and blood hand, feeling it link their fingers together, “I'm alright. We’re alright.”

Keith rode back to the castle on Shiro’s lap in the cockpit of the black lion, Red being carefully carried along. Shiro didn't let go of Keith for quite some time.

x

Keith panicked sometimes when hands grabbed him, when he was restrained. He sometimes felt like he couldn't breathe, or his ribs would burn as if Sendak’s claw was being driven into him all over again.

When it happened, Shiro would be at his side as soon as he could, stroking Keith’s hair and coaxing him to mimic Shiro’s breathing until Keith was collapsing against Shiro’s chest and clinging tight.

However, there was a time when Shiro was clear across the castle, helping Coran and Hunk with a few maintenance things, and Lance and Keith were sparring on the training deck. Lance had started up training level two in attempts to distract Keith. Distract him it did.

The training bot had knocked Keith onto his knees, and before Lance was aware of what was happening, Keith was in the fetal position.

Lance ended the training sequence immediately, rushing to Keith and attempting to pull him up, “Mierda! Keith! Lo siento, lo siento-” but when Keith scrambled away from Lance, his eyes wild and his chest heaving as he pulled at his dark hair, Lance pressed his comm button, shouting over the main castle wave. “Shiro! Shiro! It's Keith, he's- he’s freaking out.”

The Cuban boy removed Keith’s helmet and lowered himself down carefully next to the panicked red paladin.

“What happened?” Shiro’s voice crackled into his ears almost seconds after. “I’m coming, where are you?”

“Training deck,” Lance responded, but Keith was cringing away from his voice and touch, clutching at his chest and shaking violently. “Actually, we’re coming to meet you- hold on, buddy, I’m sorry.”

Lance scooped Keith up in his grip, and Keith finally gasped out, “Please, please- just put me down, I can’t, I can’t-" 

“We’re going to Shiro, Keith,” Lance tried to soothe. “You’re safe, you’re an ass sometimes but I’d never let something bad happen to you on my watch.”

Oddly enough, it seemed to comfort Keith enough to get him to Shiro. Shiro’s white forelock and black hair were wildly windblown as he reached them, pulling Keith from Lance and lowering them both to the floor.

“Breathe with me, baby, you’re safe. Just look at me and keep breathing. I have you,” Shiro instructed.

Lance suddenly felt incredibly helpless, but he stepped aside and let Shiro calm Keith enough to pull the boy into the cradle of his arms, whispering quiet sentiments into Keith’s hair and rocking him gently. It was technically his fault that Keith had been panicked.

“I’m so sorry…” Lance mumbled. 

“You helped him,” Shiro shook his head. “Thank you. He needed you and you were there for him. It’s going to take a bit before certain stuff doesn’t spook him anymore but you guys have honestly been so helpful. With all of it. So thank you.”

Keith, who was gradually growing pliant in Shiro’s grip, looked sleepily to Lance, “Thank you.”

Lance blushed, “Well, I mean… we _are_ a good team, after all.”

“Yeah. We are,” Keith smiled, and then nuzzled into Shiro once more.

x

Ever so slowly they were healing from their trauma. It wasn’t something that could just disappear over time, but it was healing. The team was their bandage, always soothing and comforting when they could, but sometimes the best treatment for their ordeal was each other.

Keith grew addicted to showering with Shiro, simply because he loved the feeling of Shiro massaging the shampoo into his scalp, loved being able to lean into Shiro’s bare chest and kiss his wet skin. He’d trace Shiro’s scars, kiss as many of them as he could. His favorite scar to kiss was the one on Shiro’s nose, the one that turned darker when Shiro would blush.

On a particularly rough day, one where Shiro had actually taken a blow to the head by one of the training bots, Keith was extra clingy as they prepared to sleep. Keith was practically glued to Shiro the moment Shiro’s back touched the mattress, strong legs straddling Shiro’s waist with one hand in his forelock and one hand on his chest as Keith fervently pressed their lips together. 

Although starting minor, things were getting heated rather quickly, Keith giving pleased little huffs into Shiro’s mouth as Shiro hiked up Keith’s shirt to gently rub circles into the warm skin of his hip.

Shiro tasted like berries from their strange toothpaste Coran had given them, and Keith pressed his tongue further into Shiro’s mouth to taste him better. With little warning Keith’s hips began to gyrate on their own, grinding his ass on Shiro’s clothed dick. If the kissing wasn’t succeeding in getting Shiro hard, then holy hell, Keith rubbing against him certainly was.

The larger man accepted the movement of Keith as invitation to roll them over, patience wasn’t his virtue when Keith was involved. He pinned the younger man to the mattress beneath him, “Are we headed the same direction with this?”

Keith stopped trying to get Shiro’s shirt off just long enough to meet Shiro’s gaze, “Mmm… I want to feel you."

“Where, baby?”

“Everywhere,” Keith groaned, tilting his head back against his pillow as Shiro’s lips sucked hard just over his pulse point, nibbling, tasting, bruising the skin there and eliciting a hiss of pleasure from Keith. 

Keith was arching his hips up against Shiro, trying to slide his briefs off of himself, and Shiro happily took Keith’s hardening dick into his hand. He stroked slowly as he kissed the boy, careful not to rub him too roughly, as his hand was rather dry, and Keith arched into him as he pushed Shiro’s own briefs down towards the older man’s ankles.

Ever so gently Keith pushed Shiro up and off of him, motioned for Shiro to sit with his legs splayed. Shiro obeyed in confusion, kicking the briefs the rest of the way off as he went, but he was more than understanding as Keith leaned on his hands and knees to suck the tip of Shiro’s cock into his mouth.

“ _Oh_ ,” Shiro croaked, his Galra hand fisting the sheets as his real hand brushed away the hair that fell in front of Keith’s face. He wanted eye contact with the boy as Keith took him deeper, his jaw aching at the stretch of Shiro's thick girth.

It took all of his strength to not press his hips up into Keith’s mouth, and Keith knew very well how Shiro felt. It was obvious by the way he teased, licking at the head and keeping his lips just around the very tip. Shiro was quickly and efficiently losing his mind. But finally, _finally_ , Keith ducked his head lower, cupped his hand over Shiro’s to tell the man to guide him on and off however Shiro pleased.  

Keith moaned around Shiro, savored the weight of Shiro’s dick on his tongue, and opened his throat as Shiro carefully pressed Keith down further with a hand to the back of Keith’s head. Keith’s eyes watered a bit as Shiro touched the back of his throat, but he didn’t choke. Regardless, Shiro still pulled him off, an obscene trail of saliva lingering between Keith’s lips and Shiro’s cock, but Shiro wiped it away with his thumb.

“I love you,” Keith croaked, his voice slightly hoarse.

“I love _you_ ,” Shiro replied, cupping Keith’s face in both hands. “Your turn.”

Shiro practically shoved Keith backwards, making him splay out breathlessly, his hair fanning about on the pillows as a surprised laugh escaped his lips. He was too gorgeous not to kiss, and Shiro sprawled over him to happily lick into his mouth.

With one hand in Shiro’s hair and the other on Shiro’s lower back, Keith pushed his hips up to rub their bare crotches together, and Shiro moaned into his mouth.  

“You're so hard,” Keith’s breath hitched at a particularly sharp thrust of Shiro’s hips. “I can't wait to feel you in me.”

“K _eith.”_

Shiro placed one last kiss to Keith’s mouth, but his lips continued to brush their way across Keith’s skin as Shiro shimmied his way down Keith’s torso, sucking purple bruises here and there and making Keith gasp and tug at his hair.

Once he was draped between Keith’s legs, his own feet dangling off the bed, he bit the creamy skin at the base of Keith’s hip, basking in the whimpers that the boy gave.

He nosed his way down the strip of wiry black hair on Keith’s lower abdomen, pausing a moment to press a teasing kiss to the hard cock that rested near it. Keith shuddered.

“Please…”

Shiro obliged, sucking the head into his mouth and rolling the flat of his tongue firmly against the underside. Keith’s hands fisted into the top of Shiro’s hair, the air catching in his throat as squirmed.

But a strong hand, Shiro's real hand, pinned Keith firmer to the mattress, and he let the boy’s cock slide back out from between his lips, “Slow… let’s go slow.”

Their room had grown so hot, the sheets sticking to their sweaty skin, and Shiro was being such a goddamn tease between Keith’s legs. Keith was already so desperate and they'd only just started.

The hand pinning him down lifted, and instead gently untangled Keith’s fingers from Shiro’s hair, linking their hands together as Shiro’s Galra hand pressed Keith’s legs up one by one. The man was gentle as he held them there, knees by Keith’s chest. He was so gentle when it came to touching Keith with the Galra hand, like Keith was made of paper or glass.

Keith’s thoughts were cut short as Shiro shuffled lower, still gripping Keith’s hand, and then a warm mouth as brushing over Keith’s hole.

Normally reserved Takashi Shirogane was _filthy_ in bed, but Keith thrived on it. Keith had to clamp his free hand over his mouth, as Shiro tongueing at his entrance and sucking over his rim had Keith practically sobbing out in pleasure.

“ _God- Shiro,_ oh fuck, _fuckfuckfuck._ That's so good, it feels so good-”

There was a method that Shiro always used; he'd get Keith so close to the edge, and then he'd decide to stop and finger Keith open. Keith was still sinful despite knowing Shiro’s ways, rolling his hips down against Shiro’s face. He basked in the wet, messiness of it all, bit down on his own fingers as he tried it to wail loud enough for the whole castle to hear. His eyes wanted to clench shut with the pleasure, but rather he craned his neck to peer around his legs, to watch the muscles in Shiro’s scarred back shift and flutter as Shiro worked his own hips against the mattress.

When Shiro pulled back, gazing up at Keith with a smile that made Keith’s stomach coil, his hair was sweaty and mussed, his chin, lips, and cheeks damp from his own spit and Keith's sweat.

He sat up, letting Keith lower his legs momentarily while he leaned his body over Keith to feel around on their dresser for lube and a condom. Keith tugged at Shiro’s arm, seeking out a kiss. Shiro pressed a closed mouth kiss to the boy’s lips.

“Do you truly want to kiss me after I-”

“I always want to kiss you,” Keith interupted, cupping Shiro’s face to hold him still, kissing him deeper for several moments.

Shiro seemed reluctant to pull away, but he palmed at himself as he pushed backwards and moved back to settle between Keith’s thighs.

“Legs up, baby.” 

Keith’s heart jumped into his throats at the snick of their lube cap, and then two cold, slick fingers were circling his rim. Fingertips slipped inside, and Keith scrambled for Shiro's hand. The usually cold metal was warm, soothing. Keith knew Shiro always worried about the arm making Keith uncomfortable, but Keith loved that arm. It belonged to Shiro, and Keith loved _every_ bit of Shiro, loved every single scar, freckle, and hair on his head.

With one arm linked under his knees to hold his legs up and the other clutching Shiro’s, he had to turn his head to the side to muffle his whimpers into his pillow as Shiro curled his fingers inside Keith. 

Two fingers had Keith squirming, pleading, clinging to Shiro’s hand, “ _I love your fingers so much-”_

“Yeah?” Shiro gave a particular sharp thrust. “Tell me more.” 

“So perfect,” Keith sobbed out. “Get so deep and- and you feel so good, so warm, so gentle, fuck, fuck me Shiro.” 

Shiro added another finger, and Keith arched his back, his teeth clamping down on his bottom lip as Shiro’s fingers brushed over Keith’s prostate with each solid twist of the older man’s wrist.

Finally, when Keith had released the hold he had on his legs and was prepared to push Shiro back and ride the man, his thighs trembling, Shiro pulled his fingers out - and Keith wanted to curse because rather than simply wiping them on the sheet, Shiro leaned for tissues.

“Mock me if you want, but I’m trying to eliminate mess-”

“You can do that after you make me come all over you,” Keith whined.

Shiro made a strange choking sound, his scar darkening as his face flushed. The man certainly had maintained his hardness, a glance at his erect cock told Keith everything. Shiro always got off on giving, almost more than he enjoyed receiving, it seemed.

Keith’s statement certainly kicked Shiro into gear. The man fumbled with the condom, tearing open the foil to slide it down his length.

“How do you want me?” Shiro breathed, running his thumbs across Keith’s nipples to make him jolt, stroking down Keith’s abdomen and leaving goosebumps on the already bite marked skin.

“Don't care,” Keith huffed. “Just want you.”

“On your stomach, then,” and Shiro was flipping him over smoothly, leaving Keith slightly stunned. “It’ll give your legs a break.”

Keith squirmed, pushing his ass up into the air and parting his thighs to allow Shiro between them. Lips kissed his spine, hips pressed up close to Keith, and a solid warmth was sliding teasingly between his spread cheeks, over his hole.

“ _Please…”_

And then the head of Shiro’s cock was pushing in, Shiro leaning forward and pressing his hands over Keith’s where Keith’s fingers gripped the sheets. Shiro pushing in felt as if the air was being pressed from Keith’s lungs.

“Alright?” Shiro choked like he did every time he first entered Keith. Shiro was big, guaranteed to give a burning stretch each time. But Keith loved it.

Keith pushed back against Shiro, pushing his cock deeper, punctuating Shiro’s bottoming out with a choked whine.

“Move,” Keith gasped, letting his torso slump against the mattress as his arms started going numb. Shiro kept their hands together.

Shiro nibbled at Keith’s ear lobe, pressed his face against Keith’s sweaty neck. It was incredibly hard to focus on anything but Keith’s tight heat around, wet and warm, the way Keith was trembling beneath him.

He didn't pull out, but he ground his hips slow and deep against Keith’s ass, drawing a wail out of the shaking boy. 

“So deep this way,” Shiro panted against Keith’s neck. “Can feel all of you, feels so good-”

“Fuck, Shiro,” Keith sobbed, trying to roll his hips.

Shiro finally began to thrust properly, rocking in smooth strokes that had Keith arching and writhing. What had started out as slow was going to end fast and hot, but Shiro wasn’t complaining.

Keith was simply babbling aimlessly beneath him while Shiro whispered filth into his ear, “So good, baby, you feel so good around me." 

One of Keith’s biggest weaknesses was Shiro being vocal, and with each grunt and hoarse whisper Keith was pushed further and further towards orgasm.

Shiro’s thrusts were growing sloppy, losing his ability to form coherent sentences as he released Keith’s hands to pull Keith’s hips up better, get his real arm around Keith’s waist and tug at the boy’s leaking dick.

Keith clenched down on him, and Shiro gasped out Keith’s name as he spilled into the condom, grunts escaping his throat. He bit the base of Keith’s shoulder, not slowing his hips in the slightest as he stroked Keith faster. The boy was positively _sobbing._

“Come on baby, come on-”

Keith came hard, spilling over Shiro’s hand with a choked off hiccup, “ _Shir-”_

Shiro pulled himself out immediately before Keith could get sensitive, tugging off his condom and tying it before leaning and dropping it on the floor. The trash chute was all the way across the ship cabin and and Keith needed cuddled.

The older man rolled them onto their sides, wiping his hand on the sheets so Keith wouldn't be disturbed by him reaching for a tissue. He’d just change the sheets, it wasn't a problem.

Keith was quiet aside from his panting, but after several moments of sweaty skin sticking together, breaths evening out with Shiro's lips in Keith’s hair, Keith rolled over in Shiro’s arms to nuzzle into his chest.

“Thank you.”

Shiro gave a surprised chuckle, “I don't think you've ever thanked me for sex before. Was it that good?" 

“It’s always good,” Keith snorted. “But I was thanking you for taking such good care of me.” 

It stunned Shiro into silence for a few moments, but he hugged Keith impossibly closer, “M’always going to take care of you, Keith.”

“I want to always take care of you, too,” the boy began quietly. “I want to know that anytime you get hit in battle, or when you’re training or, just… I just want to know that you’re always going to come back to me and that we’re going to take care of each other.”

“I will. We will.”

“I’m trying so hard to push past what happened back on that Galra ship, trying not to think about what could have happened if it had been _you_ that they…” Keith shuddered, and Shiro pulled back to make Keith look at him.

In all honesty Shiro would have had it that way, would have taken Sendak’s beating if it meant Keith didn’t have to be afraid of being grabbed, of being forced around by a simple _bot_ in training. However, the look on Keith’s face told Shiro that it wouldn’t be good to share aloud, “I wish it wasn’t you. Or any of us. It _is_ hard, this kind of stuff won’t just go away on it’s own. But I’m still here, you’re still here, we have the team… I know we’re going to be okay.”

Shiro wanted to promise, but he knew it wasn’t something so easily promised, so instead, he kissed Keith gently. Keith sighed into the kiss, brushed the white forelock back from Shiro’s forehead.

“Which is part of why I said thank you,” Keith murmured as he pulled back. “For being here with me and for helping me heal.”

“We’ll do it together,” Shiro swore. “Just like… we’ll change these gross sheets together?”

Keith rolled sleepily from the bed, rubbing his bum with a scrunched nose, “You made me make the mess, you clean up the mess?” 

Shiro propelled himself up with surprising stamina for someone who was still in a post-sex daze. His abrupt movements halted as soon as he stood before Keith, ducking to press his nose into Keith’s hair, smelling of sweat and shampoo, “You’re very lucky that you’re cute and I love you.”

“I know,” Keith replied happily, but at Shiro’s pout Keith smiled wider. “And I love you too, of course." 

They cuddled later on freshly changed sheets, dozing off on their sides with Shiro wrapped around Keith, his real hand pressed over Keith’s heart. Three months in and they were still a little battered. But not broken. Never broken as long as they had each other. They still had a shaky recovery ahead of them, no doubt with tears and worry, but there’d be healing and love the whole way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also, I love that my son Lance is Cuban. I had a few years of Spanish but I'm not fluent so please correct me if I messed something up. 
> 
> qué chingados - what the fuck  
> pinche idiota - fucking idiot  
> mierda - shit  
> lo siento - i'm sorry 
> 
> I hope that lived up to your expectations. Again, my tumblr can be found here [xx](http://paladincoolcats.tumblr.com)

**Author's Note:**

> I might continue this and make it a two-shot to include their recovery process. It would probably be smutty c: I hope you liked it! You can find my tumblr [here](http://paladincoolcats.tumblr.com)


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